In numerous commercial, governmental or other dealings, for example contractual dealings, a common arrangement including a first entity responsible for dealing with a second entity to ensure goods or services are provided to some third entity. In a concrete example, municipalities are frequently charged with responsibility for waste collection. The municipality, or a department thereof, often contracts with a private garbage hauler to discharge this responsibility. The ultimate beneficiaries are the local recipients of garbage services.
To effectively discharge its responsibilities, the municipality frequently has a contract providing for performance indicia to determine whether or not the garbage hauler is meeting its obligations. These indicia may impact the amount the municipality is obliged to pay the garbage hauler, as well as the continued existence of the contract. Common indicia include the number of complaints submitted by residents and the consistency and promptness with which the contractor responds to complaints or other requests.
Currently, it is difficult to track such indicia to monitor performance under the contract. Reporting and recording of incidents is often very inconsistent. Additionally, the timeliness with which the garbage hauler is informed of any incidents (affecting the perceived promptness with which the hauler responded) is frequently a bone of contention.